LSU Law Alum John P. Laborde (’49) Receives Army Week NOLA Soldier for Life Award

John P. Laborde (’49), recipient of the Army Week NOLA Soldier for Life Award.

On June 5, LSU Law alum John P. Laborde (’49) received the inaugural Army Week NOLA Soldier for Life Award at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans. The award was presented when Bastion Community and the Army Week Association co-hosted the Joint Forces D-Day 70th Anniversary Ball at the Museum.

The Army Week Association’s annual Soldier for Life Award is usually presented in New York City on the Army’s birthday to a veteran who returned home to serve his or her community. This year, Army Week expanded to New Orleans to honor and recognize WWII veterans for the 70th anniversary of D-Day.

An army veteran, Mr. Laborde served in the Pacific from 1943 to 1946 on General Douglas MacArthur’s staff. Mr. Laborde received his undergraduate and law degree from LSU. He co-founded Tidewater Marine, Inc. in 1955. He is a founding trustee of the National WWII Museum.

In 2012, Mr. Laborde was featured in a documentary produced by Louisiana Public Broadcasting and the LSU Law Center that paid tribute to decades of Law Center graduates who have valiantly and faithfully served our nation.

Mr. Laborde received the Law Center’s Distinguished Alumnus of the Year award in 1993. In 2012, Mr. Laborde made an historic gift to the Law Center to establish the LSU John P. Laborde Energy Law Center.